In a big win for New York City Housing Authority residents, an arbitrator just ruled in favor of extended hours for NYCHA’s unionized maintenance workforce.

Back in January 2019, Teamsters Local 237 agreed to a new contract that allowed alternate work schedules so tenants could schedule badly needed repairs in the evening and on weekends. Under the old contract, maintenance staff only worked from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday.

But then the union balked, citing safety concerns that it said had gone unaddressed. Last November, a judge granted a temporary restraining order blocking any further “off hours” work schedules.

Now the arbitration decision lets the reform move ahead in 38 housing projects — though the delay may prevent NYCHA from offering extended schedules system-wide by year’s end, as it had planned.

Let’s hope NYCHA continues to win more labor flexibility: It’s in workers’ interests as well as tenants’, as continued deterioration could prompt drastic action, even the decertification of the unions.

Of course, the agency’s management has to improve, too: NYCHA’s culture must change from top to bottom, or it will never get on top of its mold and pest-control issues, heat and hot-water woes and rotting roofs — nor get current on ordinary repairs.

Agency chief Greg Russ has to get everyone working together: If he doesn’t, everything can still fall apart.